Gbarnga, Bong County — President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr. on Friday, November 21, 2025, convened a historic National Assembly of Chiefs and Tribal Governors in Gbarnga, Bong County, bringing together traditional leaders, national officials, and local stakeholders for three days of deliberations on governance, peacebuilding, and decentralization.
The gathering, which runs from November 20–22, marks what officials describe as the most comprehensive dialogue between the presidency and traditional authorities in more than a decade. Delegates began arriving Thursday as the city of Gbarnga became the center of national attention, hosting chiefs, tribal governors, diplomats, members of the legislature, and county superintendents.
Speaking at the official opening, Internal Affairs Minister Hon. F. Sakila Nyumalin, Sr. said the conference was convened on the direct instruction of President Boakai, who has repeatedly emphasized inclusive and people-centered governance since taking office nearly two years ago.
Nyumalin said the Assembly aims to strengthen national healing, peacebuilding, and development at a critical time, as Liberia prepares to assume its seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2026. According to him, sustaining peace and promoting social cohesion remain essential benchmarks for Liberia’s continued credibility on the global stage.
The Minister outlined four major outcomes expected from the Assembly: An Annual Forum of Traditional Chiefs to institutionalize direct dialogue between the government and traditional authorities, a Framework of Mutual Commitments capturing shared concerns and outlining joint responsibilities for chiefs and government, a consensus on Traditional Practices, including preserving positive cultural values while eliminating harmful ones such as FGM, and the clarification of Chiefs’ Roles in the implementation of the ARREST Agenda, the County Development Agenda, and related decentralization efforts.
He explained that after the formal opening, discussions would proceed behind closed doors in a town hall–style engagement chaired by the President.
Taking the podium, President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr. reaffirmed his promise to run a government built from the “ground up,” emphasizing that Liberia’s transformation depends on the meaningful participation of its traditional communities.
“When my friend Jeremiah and I took office in January 2024, we pledged to lead a people-centered and inclusive government—one that would rebrand Liberia and restore public trust,” the President said. “Today’s gathering is part of fulfilling that promise.”
The President said traditional leaders remain central to Liberia’s identity, governance systems, and social order. He praised traditional structures for their resilience, referencing their essential role during past national crises. “There was a time people did not believe our communities had any system in place—until Ebola showed the world that our traditional structures were strong and deeply rooted,” he said. “Every village has a chief, and no stranger enters without the chief knowing. Our traditions guide us. We have a system.”
President Boakai said government functions best when it grows from local realities and when citizens outside Monrovia are empowered to shape national decisions. “Liberia can only be transformed if people—especially those long marginalized by an overly centralized system—are fully involved,” he said.
Delivering special remarks, Nimba County Superintendent Hon. Kou Meapeh Gono, who also chairs the Superintendent Council of Liberia, thanked the President for “restoring dignity and recognition” to traditional authorities. She highlighted the government’s unprecedented progress in rolling out the Local Government Act, describing it as a breakthrough after more than 100 years of centralization.
“Under your ARREST Agenda, we have witnessed practical and unprecedented progress toward true decentralization,” Superintendent Gono said. “However, we have not reached full decentralization. We are still in the deconcentration stage.”
She appealed for swift movement toward fiscal decentralization, emphasizing that counties need a fair share of revenue to deliver services more efficiently. Gono pledged the full support of county administrations nationwide—from Mt. Nimba to Cape Montserrado—for the President’s inclusive development agenda.
Bong County Senator Prince Kermue Moye, Sr., speaking on behalf of the county’s legislative caucus, expressed gratitude that Bong County was chosen as host of the Assembly. He described the event as culturally significant and aligned with the President’s long-standing plan to establish a Provincial Center in Gbarnga. “For the President to approve the gathering of all our chiefs and tribal governors here, we say thank you,” Senator Moye said. He reaffirmed the caucus’s commitment to fully implementing the Local Government Act, which he called “crucial for equitable development.”
Throughout the opening session, speakers emphasized that Liberia’s traditional leaders remain indispensable partners in governance, peace, and social cohesion. The Assembly’s closed-door deliberations are expected to produce a roadmap aligning national priorities with traditional leadership structures.
As the Assembly continues into Saturday, expectations remain high among delegates that the outcomes will shape a more inclusive and decentralized governance system—one that brings development to “every town, every village, and every chiefdom,” as leaders echoed throughout the day. The President is expected to close the Assembly on Saturday with a consolidated communique outlining next steps.
